


Of Daffodils and Acacias

by jellybop



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: !!!!!! thats right theres pictures, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, BU T still, Body Horror, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Flower Language, Hanahaki Disease, I DIDNT KNOW THIS WAS A TAG HELL YEA, Illustrated, Just to be safe, M/M, Pining Lance (Voltron), a picture, gays and angst, im a sucker pls forgive, im going to, should i tag as bodyhorror???, this got really gay and really long
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-11-21 18:32:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11363199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jellybop/pseuds/jellybop
Summary: Hanahaki Disease - a disease born of one-sided love, where the patient throws up and coughs of flower petals when they suffer from unrequited love. The infection can be removed through surgery, but the feelings disappear along with the petals. It can be cured without side effects only when the feelings are returned.~What is Lance supposed to say to Keith? “Yeah, sorry I can’t hang out with you anymore, I have this weird disease that makes me cough up flowers whenever I’m around you because I’m like, in love with you.”Yeah, no thanks.Not today, or any day.~Alternative Title: Of Daffodils and AngstIn which Lance pines, Keith is concerned, Pidge is tired of this shit and Hunk is the Real MVP





	Of Daffodils and Acacias

**Author's Note:**

> PSSSST OK SO THIS IS KIND OF A REALLY SPECIAL FIC BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY TOOK ME THREE DAYS TO WRITE AND A LOT OF HELP FROM MY FRIEND WHO ACTUALLY DREW THE PICTURE FOR THIS FIC !!!!! IM PROVIDING CREDITS UP HERE AND IN THE END NOTE SO PLEASE GO CHECK HER OUT HER ART IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING?????
> 
> Check her out on Instagram!: @spacestatic_art

It all starts as a little tickle in the back of his throat. Lance doesn't think too much of it, writes it off as a tiny cough, maybe a cold, and decides to grab some medicine after he was done studying, because no way in _hell_ is he leaving yet! He’s actually having _fun,_ chilling out with Keith, his pal, his buddy, studying because they have a test tomorrow and neither of them had studied for it.

Better late than never, right?

Not the point. Lance coughs a bit, just to rattle thing around and clear out his throat, too focused on attempting to focus on studying and not focusing on Keith to really care too much. The test tomorrow was _huge,_ worth at least ten percent of their semester grade and he wasn’t about to _fail_ it. No McFucking way. 

Keith looks over at him after his third cough, because it’s persistent and won’t leave, eyebrows drawn together, “You good, Lance?”

“I’m always good, my guy,” Lance says with a shrug, lets himself clear his throat again.

“Somehow I don’t believe you.”

“I mean, that’s on you then, I guess, ‘cause it’s the truth.”

Keith still looks sceptical, tilts his head to the side to squint at Lance, before rolling his eyes and returning to his work, “Whatever, dude, but don’t come whining when you actually get sick.”

“Aww, are you telling me that you _wouldn’t_ take care of me if I get sick?” Lance fake pouts, leans against Keith’s shoulder because it’s there, feels more than sees when he scoffs.

“Take it how you want, I guess. Just, uh, try not to get sick?”

“I’m totally annoying you if I get sick, it’s fucking confirmed. I’ll get you sick and everything, there’s no stopping it now.”

Keith laughs, shoves Lance off his shoulder, “Please don’t. I still have finals after you.”

Lance grins, fake coughs near him, “You can’t escape me, Keith. Join the sick squad. It’s calling to you.”

“Stop it. Can we study please?” Keith doesn’t sound too serious, though, and the smile on his face gives him away.

“I guess. Maybe.” Lance can’t exactly refuse Keith, especially when he smiles like that, wide and bright and pure, “Uh, sure, yeah, let’s get back to studying, because I can’t fail this test.”

* * *

There’s a point in time when studying just seems to stop in favor of other things, like binge watching Sci-Fi movies, because why not, right? Lance isn’t a particular fan, really, but he’s willing to watch them if it means he gets to hang around Keith more. The cough in his throat is still there, but Lance tries hard to keep it down.

Keith is completely focused on the movie that’s playing, something about a cyborg werewolf or something, Lance isn’t really giving the movie too much attention, much more interested in watching Keith. 

That sounds really weird, hear him out on this. Keith is watching to movie with wide eyes, almost literally on the edge of his seat at the more intense bits, he’s tense and relaxed at the same time. He’s enraptured by the movie, even though it’s a bit odd, but to each his own.

It still sounds weird, but just take Lance’s word for it, Keith loves obscure Sci-Fi movies and Lance doesn’t, but he’ll indulge the guy if it means getting to see Keith looking like this compared to his normal grumpy self, it’s really just a nice change and _fuck,_ Lance needs to stop staring.

He shakes his head a bit, clears his throat because that cough is still in the back of his throat. He doubts the fact that he could be getting sick, because he _never_ gets sick, that’s just plain ridiculous.

* * *

It gets _worse,_ though, as time passes. It isn't until after grades come back on the test that things start to get freaky. Like, Freaky Friday freaky, but without the body swapping, no, this shit is crazier. Because he walks up to the board, completely unbothered by any frog in his throat, and looks up his name, he got a 89, alright, and then turns to his side to see Keith looking excitedly at him, pointing to his grade, a 96, that the tickle returns _full fucking force_. No warning, either! _Ribbit ribbit motherfucker, thought you gotten rid of me, did you?_

He coughs violently, taken completely by surprise and double over. The fit lasts a couple of seconds and painful as it is, Lance just kind of writes it off as a bad cold or something. He excuses himself from the classroom, takes one last look at Keith, who looks very concerned, pats the guy on the shoulder with a smile and a, “Great job, dude, I'll talk to you later, ok?”

And he walks out the door and then the next coughing fit hits him and he leans against the wall as a support, covering his mouth with a hand.

It lasts a bit longer this time, and by the time Lance comes back to himself after meeting God on the astral plane, he pulls his hand away from his face and looks down, makes a shocked and confused noise, because that is a flower petal and that is also not very normal, what the hell?

He needs to talk to Hunk.

* * *

Hunk, as Lance finds out, is actually not very surprised about the sudden ‘holy shit, Lance is coughing up flowers’ development, because while Lance is actually freaking the fuck out, Hunk calmly takes in the situation and pulls him into their dorm, taking the petal that Lance was crushing in his fist and examining it, “That's a daffodil, my dude. Interesting.”

“ _Interesting?!_ ” Lance all but shrieks, almost ready to pull out his hair, “I’m coughing up flowers and it's _interesting?_ ”

“Lance, dude, calm down, this isn't as crazy as it seems. Come here and sit down and I can explain it to you.”

Lance reluctantly obeys, seating himself on the bed beside Hunk, who holds the petal out to Lance on a flat palm, “This,” Hunk starts, lifting it up for emphasis, “is a daffodil petal, i've already said that, I know, but hear me out ok?”

He continues when Lance nods, his eyes fixed on the petal, “It seems a bit odd, but this actually happens to some people. Its uncommon, but not unheard of. Its called the Hanahaki Disease, which is an illness that's caused by unrequited love.”

Lance hums, nodding to show he heard, “Always great to know there's someone out there that doesn't love me.”

“It’s Keith, isn’t it?”

The question, which sounds more like a statement than an actual question, causes Lance to splutter and cough more, this time spitting out a whole flower that does not look like a daffodil, “Hunk, pal, what the _fuck_. No way. Of course it's not Keith, why would you think that?”

“That's an acacia, Lance. Concealed love. Nice try though.”

Lance groans, rubbing the heels of his hands hard into his eyes, “No fucking way. What the fuck? This isn't happening, _Hunk_ , what do I _do_? How do I get rid of this, I can't be coughing up fucking flowers around people.”

“The only way to do that is for your love to be reciprocated.”

“Not fucking likely.”

“Let me _finish_ , Lance. Reciprocated love is the only way to cure it, but it's not as far-fetched as you may think, man.”

Lance scoffs, a quiet, bitter sound, “Yea right, like Mr. Hothead is going to ever like me back, have you ever even _met_ the dude?”

“I have and that’s why I’m telling you this, because you shouldn't give up so easily.”

Lance moves to leave, grabbing at the door handle before looking back at Hunk, “Are you sure?”

“Wouldn't hurt to give it a try, right?”

“I dunno, Hunk, it might hurt,” Lance says, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket, “Like, a lot.”

“Just give it a shot, alright?”

* * *

Lance ends up not using Hunk’s advice, however wonderful and actually helpful it is. Not because he doesn’t want to, but because he physically cannot take his advice. He can’t get within three feet of Keith without the threat of actual, whole flowers pushing their way up his throat.

It’s becoming just a tiny bit of a problem. 

Lance is miserable, because not only can he not hang around one of his best friend without flowers literally _coming out of his mouth_ , there’s that whole fact too! Who the _fuck_ wants to puke flowers for their whole life. It’s _not fun_. Not even in the slightest.

Hunk disapproves, tells Lance that he should just try talking to Keith, but he can’t do that, what the _hell_ is he supposed to say to Keith? “Yeah, sorry I can’t hang out with you anymore, I have this weird disease that makes me cough up flowers whenever I’m around you because I’m like, in love with you.” Yeah, no thanks, not today, or any day.

He’s miserable at this point, nothing is going good for Lance at all, because keeping his distance from Keith is actually making the Hanahaki disease _worse_ , but he’d rather just power through it than have Keith find out about it.

It’s definitely not his favorite decision ever, not by a long shot, and he’s making sure Hunk and Pidge know, groaning as he spreads out on his bed, “Why me, Hunk? What’d I do?”

“You didn’t take Hunk’s advice is what you did, Lance,” Pidge says, “Have you thought about how Keith feels about this shit? You did just up and started to avoid him.”

Lance frowns, not wanting to think about that fact at all, “I know, Pidge, but how the hell am I supposed to be around him if I keep on coughing up flowers?”

As if on cue, Lance reaches for the trash can from its place beside his bed and coughs into it, grimacing when he comes back up, “My point! I can’t be around Keith if this is going to happen all the time.”

“But it’s happening all the time already?” Pidge says, sounding skeptical, “Are you really going to continue to avoid Keith, even though it’s making this whole situation worse?”

“Absolutely.”

Pidge sighs and stands up, walks out the door with an, “I’ll be right back, don’t leave.” 

Lance stares at the closed door for a moment, confused and kind of wanting to leave now, just because Pidge said not to. While it would be a nice act of rebellion, his bed is rather comfy and he doesn’t really want to get up, so he flops back down on his back and waits for Pidge to get back.

“Where do you think she went, Hunk?”

“Honestly, I don’t know.” Hunk shrugs, not looking up from whatever project he’s working on, “I’m as in the dark as you are right now, Lance.”

Lance hums, moves his head to stare at the ceiling.

* * *

Turns out, she went to go find Keith, if the fact that she literally _drags_ the poor guy into the room and then quickly exits with Hunk is any indication. 

Lance runs towards the door and tries the handle, suddenly not really wanting to be in his room anymore, but of course Pidge locks them in. Of course. Outside locking doors are a curse. They shouldn’t be a thing. Why are they a thing? 

“Pidge, when I get out of here, I swear to go-”

“Lance?”

_Shit,_ that’s right, Keith is in here too. The reason Lance is trying to get out of the room is currently locked in with him and staring at him weirdly, “Pidge said you had something to tell me?”

“Nope, not at all, my pal, not a single thing to say.” He finger guns at Keith, grinning widely in an attempt to hide the fact that he is currently about to actually die, clears his throat and prays that the flowers stay down, “I honestly have no idea why she thinks that, because I really don’t? So yeah, uh. No, I’m good.”

“Why have you been avoiding me, then?”

“I, um,” He clears his throat again, looking anywhere in the room but at Keith, “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Avoiding you? No way.”

“That is the _biggest_ fucking lie I’ve ever heard, Lance! And you know it! Can you at least answer my damn question?” Lance spares one glance at Keith, sees him looking incredibly angry and concerned and sad all at once. “Did I do something wrong? What happened?”

He’s going to throw up. Lance is going to throw the fuck up and then he’s going to die, because he can’t answer Keith’s questions, he can’t even open his mouth because he knows that the flowers are going to push their way up. He squeezes his eyes shut for a moment and then opens them, looks back at Keith.

“Fine, whatever, nevermind. Pretend I never said anything.” Keith crosses the room to where Lance stands by the door, tries the handle himself, “Pidge, let me out, I’m tired of this.”

Lance groans lowly, walks back over to his bed and sits down. He can feel Keith’s gaze boring into him and he shrinks slightly, not wanting him to look at him anymore. He can feel tears pressing up behind his eyes, knows that the threat of them overflowing and streaming down his face is there and he slides off his bed, kneeling over the trash can that’s already filled with flowers and coughs up three more.

Daffodils. Lance scoffs, tears falling freely now. The universe thinks it’s really funny sometimes, doesn’t it?

* * *

“Lance?” Keith’s voice is right next to him and he jumps when a warm hand lands on his shoulder, “What?”

Lance looks over at Keith and then looks away, leans into the side of his bed and away from Keith’s hand wanting nothing more than to just curl up and die at this point. He knows now, so there’s really no use in hiding anymore.

“Why are flowers coming out of your mouth?”

Lance side glances at Keith for a quick moment, laughs quietly, “I barely know why it’s happening, so I couldn’t tell you if I wanted to. Something about ‘unrequited love’ or something similar, I guess.”

“That must not be very fun.”

“No _shit_ , Sherlock,” Lance says, not unkindly, fresh tears rolling down his cheeks, “It fucking sucks. And it’s worse now.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re here and. Well, not because of you, but because you’re in _here_ , but I guess it’s kind of because of you too, but it’s not like, your fault or anything, it’s entirely and completely on me and.” Lance closes his mouth, realizing he’s rambling on and on. Another flower pushes it way up his throat and he spits it out into the trash can.

“That’s kind of vague, Lance, what d’you mean by that?” Keith asks, softly.

Now or fucking never, right? Lance sits up, looks Keith directly in the eye, “Because I’m in love with you, ok? Because the universe apparently wants me to suffer because I’m pining after someone and won’t try and get with them. I don’t know, all I know is that I’m in love with you, but the feelings aren’t really returned.” Lance gestures to the trash can with one bitterly flung hand, “Which is fine, I guess, I just have to deal with this weird ass disease for the rest of my life, which is wonderful, am I right?”

“Lance, can you calm down just a bit? Please?” Keith presses another hand onto Lance’s shoulder and he almost, _almost_ leans into it, but he catches himself last minute and stands up.

“Don’t, Keith, just make fun of me or whatever, never talk to me again, and then leave. I know you’re going to.”

“I’m not leaving, Lance, can you please just calm down?”

_”Why?”_

“Because I’m in love with you too, _fuck_ , Lance. Please, relax.”

Lance inhales sharply, furrow his eyebrows together, “That’s not true. Please don’t just say that because you pity me or something.”

Keith takes a tentative step forward towards Lance, “It is true, Lance. I love you.”

He moves to take another step but Lance throws a hand up, stopping Keith in his tracks , “Just give me a second.”

Lance coughs harshly, lets another flower fall into his open hand, a rose this time, odd, then drops it on the floor, not bothering to spare it more than a tiny glance. 

“Huh, that’s different from what I’ve been seeing. Lance, seriously I’m not pitying you.” Keith tries again to take a step forward, and Lance lets him. He places a hand on his shoulder. “When you started avoiding me, I got really concerned. I honestly didn’t know if I had done anything wrong.”

“But you didn’t! I know I shouldn’t have avoided you like I did but what the _hell_ was I supposed to do? I’m coughing up flowers for fucks sake!” As if on cue, another rose makes its way out of Lance’s mouth, making him gag slightly, curl in on himself, but he refuses to take his eyes off of Keith. 

“Well if the only way to cure this… “disease’ is to love you back, which I do, by the way, then I guess there’s only one way.” Keith smirks and stares at Lance, waiting for a reaction. 

“What exactly do you mean ‘one way’?”, Lance responds carefully, squinting slightly in confusion. 

Keith places his other hand on Lances remaining shoulder and starts to lean in. Lance realizes what he means at that exact moment, and _fuck_ he’s totally okay with it. 

Their lips meet, Lance’s brain effectively shot at this point, and time goes in slow motion. It’s soft and warm. Lance hums, presses closer to Keith, smiles ever so slightly. It seems to last forever, but in all honesty it was only a few seconds. 

“I TOLD YOU HUNK! I WAS RIGHT!” Pidge screams from the doorway and Keith and Lance suddenly jump away from each other, blushing hard, “You owe me ten bucks, dude.”

Hunk groans, but forks over the money into Pidge’s waiting palm anyways. 

“Did you actually fucking _bet_ on us?” Lance asks, looking incredulous.

“Look, Lance, an easy ten dollars is an easy ten dollars, I’m taking the opportunity.” Pidge says, shrugging and walking out of the room, “We have an early class tomorrow, just warning you. Don’t wanna show up late with suspicious marks.” 

“Holy shit,” Lance wheezes, leaning heavily on Keith for support, “I’m going to prank her so hella hard one of these days.”

“Slow down there, hot shot,” Keith says, grabbing Lance’s hand so that he doesn’t try to bolt after her. He kneels down and grabs one of the roses that came from Lance earlier and looks at it. It’s beautiful, really, a soft yellow that melts into red at the tips. 

Standing back up, he turns to Lance and pushes it to rest on his ear.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks again to my super amazing friend, because not only did she draw some super pretty art, but she also helped me with the ending bc i couldnt figure it out at all,,,,
> 
> AGAIN, check this amazing artist out on Instagram, because she deserves so many followers, at: @spacestatic_art
> 
>  
> 
> and im going to throw mine in there just because shameless advertising is a thing, so check out my instagram if you wanna,,,, @what.is.a.username.tbh


End file.
